Liverpool

Liverpool's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. At the same time there were changes in marriage, health and family life.

The population reached nearly 470,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Liverpool increased by 6.1%, from about 439,000 to 466,000.

The addition of almost 27,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Liverpool was home to, on average, 30 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres). This made it the North West's second-most densely-populated district.

Population density was higher than the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Liverpool

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Liverpool remained 35 years.

This city had a lower average age than the North West and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 24,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by just under 6,000.

About 19% of people in Liverpool are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Liverpool by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Liverpool

This area saw the North West's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

Across the region, Salford saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 35% in 2001 to 43% in 2011).

Every local authority area across the North West saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 30% to 36%.

In 2011, just under one in two (50%) people aged 16 and over in Liverpool said they were single, compared with 42% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 38% to 32%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Liverpool residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 14% to 8.8% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64% in 2001. The percentage of Liverpool residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Liverpool decreased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Liverpool, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

This area saw the North West's third-largest rise in the proportion of households without children.

Across the region, only Burnley (from 57% to 60%) and Eden (from 63% to 67%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of households without children.

During this period, Liverpool went from having the 20th-highest to the twelfth-highest percentage of households without children out of 309 English local authority areas.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (63%) households in Liverpool had no children, compared with 59% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30% to 26%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the North West

Percentage of households that without children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Liverpool

The number of people in Liverpool that described themselves as Christian increased from about 350,000 in 2001 to about 330,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 71% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the North West (from 78% to 67%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Liverpool that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 43,000 in 2001 to about 83,000 in 2011 (from 9.7% to 18%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from about 36,000 to about 29,000 (from 8.1% to 6.2%).

Just over 15,000 people (1.4%) said they were Muslim, up from just over 5,900 in 2001 (3.3%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Liverpool decreased by 8.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Liverpool by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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